Richard Hays on the Book of Romans

"Does this mean that Paul is playing Christianity off against Judaism or the gospel against the Old Testament? By no means!"
(Richard B. Hays playful rereading of Paul's polemic in the book of Romans)

The gospel is the fulfillment, not the negation of God's Word to Israel. Many Bible interpreters read Paul's words in Romans 10:15 which is quoting Isaiah 52:7 as condemning Israel is a bad reading of this text. This is a word of judgment but it is like an echo which reveals later in Romans of God vindication and final redemption of Israel. We read Paul incorrectly in Romans 3:21-22 as an argument about salvation when it really is an apologetic against thinking God is unrighteous.

This all comes to a climax in Romans 11:21, "If God did not spare the natural branches, neither will be spare you." Paul describes the faith of Israel with the same language that he used to describe Jesus's death. This brings to mind other biblical texts like Gen.22:12, ". . . you did not spare your beloved son on account of me" of Abraham's near sacrifice of Isaac.

There is this ancient Jewish tradition called the Akedah tradition that speaks of a righteous sufferer who gives ones life for the people. So there are three parallels to this Romans text where Abraham did not spare his son, God did not spare his son Jesus, and God did not spare Israel but broke them off as branches for the sake of the Gentiles. There are hints of Is.53 everywhere throughout the book of Romans without Paul ever quoting from the book. But Paul's restorative theology of Christ and Israel is by Christ's stripes, the whole creation will be healed!

(excerpts and ideas from Richard Hays, Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul)